Automatic vending device



Nov. 26, 1968 P. M. R. SCHOENMAKERS AUTOMATIC VENDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 24, 1964 1968 P. M. R. SCHOENMAKERS 3,413,052

AUTOMATIC VENDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,413,052 AUTOMATIC VENDING DEVICE Petrus M. R. Schoenmakers, 16 Prinses Beatrixstraat,

Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands Filed Nov. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 413,440

Claims priority, application Netherlands, Nov. 29, 1963, 301,148; Oct. 9, 1964, 6411756 7 Claims. (Cl. 312-291) The present invention relates to a vending device for beverages, especially ice cream, whipped cream etc., consisting of a device for the supply of cups, a turning arm for taking the cups and delivering them in filled condition to a delivery chamber.

The disadvantage of vending devices of this kind is, that the operator of the device has to take the cups by hand out of the turning arm, thereby unavoidably touching this arm with his fingers.

This is unacceptable for hygienic reasons.

A further disadvantage of the existing devices is that unauthorized persons are able to touch not only the turning arm but also other parts of the device and in case of malice to destroy or influence the internal workings of the device.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by having the turning arm cooperate with the closing lids of the delivery chamber in such a way that in delivering the filled cups, the front closing lid is closed and can only be opened if the turning arm is turned away from the delivery chamber, the front closing lid opens at the same time the back closing lid is closed.

With one mode of execution of the invention the front and back closing lids are preferably coupled to each other by means of a pulley system, such that the movement of the front closing lid is opposite to the movement of the back one. In this embodiment, the pulley system is designed to cause the back closing lid to move over a greater distance than the front one, e.g. to cover twice the distance. According to another characteristic of the invention the turning arm for the delivery of the cups to the delivery chamber is supplied with a half circular picking-up device, containing at one end a pivotally mounted finger, provided with a lever under spring tension, which lever cooperates with an abutment in the delivery chamber in such a way that after the turning arm has struck the abutment in the delivery chamber, the finger is turned, and the filled cup is liberated from the picking-up device.

For picking-up and guiding the cups from the cupsupply device it is preferred to provide the half-circular picking-up device of the turning arm with a guiding device, shaped in accordance with the form of the item being vended, e.g. if the item is being vended in a conically shaped cup, the guiding device would be conical.

With another mode of execution of the invention, which is preferred, the closing means of the delivery chamber is a part of a cylinder casing, cooperating for the closingotf of the inner side of the vending device with another, fixedly mounted cylinder casing part, having at the height of the turning arm a groove, and being closed-off by disk at its top and bottom end in such a way that the entire delivery chamber can be revolvably be mounted in the front opening of the vending device.

The advantage of this closing means is that the closingolf member consists of a single part, requiring a simpler locking means while keeping the advantages mentioned.

For the rotation of the cylinder, consisting preferably of plexiglass, the two disks are mounted in ball-bearings via centrally mounted shafts.

Another cylinder casing, preferably manufactured of steel, is fixedly connected with the casing of the vending device, preferably by means of two parts in the form of segments of a circle, being fixed to the mounting points of the ball-bearings.

For hygienic reasons the edge of the plexiglass cylinder have been beveled and these edges are pressed tightly into grooves at the edges of the disks, in such a way that there is no room left for bacteria.

The invention will be elucidated by means of the accompanying drawings. FIGURE 1 is a side view of the delivery chamber, provided with a frontand back closing lid according to the invention. FIGURE 2 shows in top view the turning arm according to the invention. FIG- URE 3 is a front view of the delivery chamber according to another embodiment of the invention and FIGURE 4 is a cross-section according to line IVIV of FIGURE 3.

The vending device according to the invention comprises a delivery chamber 1 for the cups filled with beverage, ice cream or whipped cream, transported by the turning arm 2.

The delivery chamber comprises a front closing lid 4 and a back closing lid 5 coupled to each other via a pulley system in such a way that after the usual putting in of a coin, the front closing lid is unbolted and moved down by the customer in order to get access to the delivery chamber, the back closing lid 5 is at the same time moved upwardly at a rate twice that of the rate with which the front closing lid is moved downwardly.

The bolting of the front closing lid may be effected by an electromagnet and a bolt 7 operated by this, the electromagnet being placed in the control circuit (not shown) of the vending device.

The turning arm 2, cooperating with the closing lid system, is at one end provided with a half circular picking-up device 8 for the cups, for picking up the cups from a cup supply device (not represented) and for carrying these from the ice cream, dispensing station (not shown) within the vending device, and transports the filled cups to the delivery chamber.

All these movements are carried out according to a certain program with the aid of the control circuit of the device.

The picking-up device 8 has at its end 9 a finger 10, movably connected at 11 to end 9, the finger 10 having a lever 12 thereto connected which is under the influence of a spiral spring 13 in such a way that normally the finger '10 is kept in the position indicated in FIG URE 2.

The picking-up device 8 of the turning arm further comprises a guiding member 14 for the cups, formed in accordance with the shape of the cups used in this vending device. As a rule, the cups used are of conical shape and member 14 comprises part of a cone.

The turning arm 2 comprises at its other end a micro switch 15 and a weighing device 16, operating the micro switch when the cup is filled with a certain weight of ice cream or beverage. At that moment the micro switch closes the control circuit bringing the arm to the delivery chamber.

When the turning arm travels, with a filled cup in the picking-up device 8, to the chamber, the lever 12 will at a certain moment touch the abutment or cam 17, mounted at a side wall of the delivery chamber.

On further travelling of the turning arm 2, the finger 10 turns counterclockwise (according to FIGURE 2), liberating the cup. The turning arm then turns back to the point where the next cup is supplied by the cup supply device. That moment the control circuit sets free bolt 7 via the electro magnet, so that the customer can move the front lid downwardly in order to get access to the chamber.

The back closing lid 5 comprises a weight, which, when the customer releases the front lid, draws the back 3 closing lid downwardly and by this, via the pulley system, the front closing lid upwardly.

With a second mode of execution of the invention (FIGURES 3 and 4) the delivery chamber of the vending device according to the invention consists of a cylinder part 1', preferably manufactured of plexiglass, which is a transparent material, the cylinder part 1' being closed at its upper and bottom end by steel disks 2 and 3.

These disks contain a groove at their edges, in which the beveled edges of the cylinder part have been pressed, so that spaces in which bacteria might develop are avoided.

The disk 2 and 3 are each provided with an axis and are able to rotate on a ball-bearing. The rotary delivery chamber is mounted at fixed points in the opening of the vending device.

The cylinder casing has intermediate its top and bottom edges a radial groove 4', placed at the height of the turning arm 10 and serving to pass the turning arm 10' as it moves into the chamber during the delivery of a cup.

Another cylinder casing part 5' cooperates with the cylinder casing part 1', which part 5' is preferably made of metal and is fixed to the housing of the vending device by means of two cast iron circle segments which are respectively fixed to the solid mounting points of the ballbearings.

A turning arm 6' is provided which is structurally and operationally the same as turning arm 2 of FIG- URES 1 and 2.

The angle between the inner edge of the cylinder casing part 1 and the inner edge of the cylinder casing part 5' may be 40 at most in the closed condition of the closing device. For a good operation of the device, i.e. that whilst opening the cylinder 1 the inner side of the device is at all times closed for unauthorised persons, it is recommended to have the front edge of the cylinder '1' in closed condition project a little backwards with respect to the front side of the device, The bottom disk 3 has on its upper surface two pins 8', 9 directed at somewhat of a bevel upwardly, which serve to prevent the slidingoff of the cup, when the buyer enters the partition.

If the cylinder 1' is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 4, the customer can watch the entire of the item being vended into the delivery chamber, since cylinder 1' is comprised of a transparent material.

The cylinder may be locked in any usual way by a locking means, served by an operating mechanism.

The device shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 has an item holding and dispensing mechanism such as that shown in FIGURE 2. This mechanism includes turning arm 7' having a semicircular element 6' at its end with a pivoted finger 10 connected to and part of element 6'. Finger 10 has an abutment engaging arm 12' thereto connected. Spring 13 by acting upon arm 12', biases finger 10' around the item being vended. An abutment 17 is situated on the lower disc 3.

The operation of the device is as follows.

By inserting a coin in the slot, a cup is delivered in the turning arm 6', bringing the cup to a product delivery point. After delivering of a certain quantity of product, the turning arm carries the cup through the space between back wall of the cylinder casing part 1' and the backwall of the cylinder casing part 5 the turning part 7 of the turning arm being able to move through the groove. The turning arm puts the cup. behind the pins 8, 9' and thereafter withdraws to the inner part of the vending device.

Now the cylinder-disks construction is unlocked, so that the buyer can open the closing device. The manually operable handle 19' is joined with connection means 20 which is, in turn, secured to cylindrical wall 5' around the cylindrical delivery chamber. Handle 19' is moved to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 3, or clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 4, to open the front of the delivery chamber, while closing the rear thereof with wall 1'. Hence, while the front delivery window is closed, the rear window 1' permits the delivery mechanism to 0perate and deliver an item into the delivery chamber. When the front window is opened, the rear wall automatically prevents access out of the delivery chamber, thereby protecting the internal mechanism of the vending machine. Turning of handle '19 automatically turns disc 3', therewith connected. The item being vended turns with pins 8, 9' so that the item being vended can now be taken by the buyer. The construction is thereafter automatically locked by a spring and by the locking mechanism.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic vending machine having means for delivering items to be vended, said delivery means comprising an arm pivotally mounted to said machine for receiving the items to be vended, and a delivery chamber having first and second alternately open and closed first and second doors, respectively;

said pivotally mounted arm having an end thereof having item holding means thereto attached "for receiving and holding the items to be vended; said item holding means having spring biased releasable clamping means including lever means movable between a first and second position for releasing said clamping means;

an abutment means on said machine; said abutment means being so positioned that when said item holding means is within said delivery chamber, said lever means is engageable with said abutment means and moved to its second position;

said pivotally mounted arm being pivotable in a first direction into said delivery chamber for bringing the items being vended to a receiving means within said delivery chamber when said first door is closed and said second door is open, and said pivotally mounted arm being pivotable in the opposite direction out of said delivery chamber while said second door is open and said first door is closed, said first door being openable only when said pivotally mounted arm is out of said delivery chamber and said second door is closing, and furthermore when said pivotally mounted arm is pivoted into said delivery chamber, said lever means engaging said abutment means, thereby moving said lever means to its second position to release said clamping means, thereby releasing the items to be vended from the grip of said item holding means;

a receiving means so positioned in said delivery chamber as to receive each item being vended after it is released from said item holding means.

2. The automatic vending machine of claim 1, wherein said spring biased releasable clamping means includes a pivot on said item holding means, a finger means defining a portion of said item holding means; said finger means pivotally attached to said pivot, said finger means including said lever means thereto attached, said lever means being normally biased to its said first position.

3. The automatic vending machine of claim 1, wherein said item holding means is comprised of a semicircular member;

said pivot being on said semicircularly shaped member;

said finger means being pivotally attached to said semicircular member and comprising one end thereof.

4. The automatic vending machine of claim 3 wherein said semicircular member has thereto attached a depending member having a configuration shaped to conform to the configuration of the items being vended.

5. The automatic vending machine of claim 1, wherein said delivery chamber has a front face; said first door comprising part of a cylinder being mounted on said front face for closing off access into said delivery chamber;

said delivery chamber having a bottom comprised of a disc; said first door being connected with said disc,

whereby said disc is rotated by movement of said first door;

said receiving means being mounted to said disc;

a handle means connected to said first door for moving same to remove it from the position which blocks access into said delivery chamber when said pivotally mounted arm is out of said delivery chamber, whereby access may be had into said delivery chamber from without said machine; movement of said first door rotating said disc to turn said receiving means so that items being vended may be removed from said delivery chamber when access thereinto is possible.

6. The automatic vending machine of claim 5, wherein said second door comprises a second part of a cylinder also connected with said disc and rotatable therewith and so positioned that access out of said delivery chamber and into the interior of said machine is prevented when said second door is in closed position and said first door open.

7. The automatic vending machine of claim 1, and further including pulley means connecting each of said first and second doors in a manner which causes said first door to be closed when said second door is opened and said second door to be closed when said first door is References Cited opened.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Corbin 198-210 X Hall 312-295 X McFarland 198-210 X Christensen 198-210 X McCreery 198-210 X Valas 312- X McLellan 141-174 X McLellan 141-176 X Smart 49-123 X Salerno 312-35 Smith 312-35 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

E. J. EARLS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE HAVING MEANS FOR DELIVERING ITEMS TO BE VENDED, SAID DELIVERY MEANS COMPRISING AN ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID MACHINE FOR RECEIVING THE ITEMS TO BE VENDED, AND A DELIVERY CHAMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ALTERNATELY OPEN AND CLOSED FIRST AND SECOND DOORS, RESPECTIVELY; SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ARM HAVING AN END THEREOF HAVING ITEM HOLDING MEANS THERETO ATTACHED FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING THE ITEMS TO BE VENDED; SAID ITEM HOLDING MEANS HAVING SPRING BIASED RELEASABLE CLAMPING MEANS INCLUDING LEVER MEANS MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST AND SECOND POSITION FOR RELEASING SAID CLAMPING MEANS; AN ABUTMENT MEANS ON SAID MACHINE; SAID ABUTMENT MEANS BEING SO POSITIONED THAT WHEN SAID ITEM HOLDING MEANS IS WITHIN SAID DELIVERY CHAMBER, SAID LEVER MEANS IS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ABUTMENT MEANS AND MOVED TO ITS SECOND POSITION; 